Airline latest in industry to respond to terrorist attacks with job cuts

WASHINGTON (CNN) - With the airline industry reeling from last week's terrorist attacks involving four hijacked jetliners, sources familiar with United Airlines told CNN Tuesday that the airline plans to cut at least 20,000 employees, or 20 percent of its workforce.

United is the latest in several major airlines to cut its workforce since the terrorist attacks. Continental Airlines has said it is cutting 12,000 jobs, U.S. Airways said it expects to lay off 11,000 employees and sources with Northwest Airlines have said they plan to announce layoffs in the coming week.

Two United flights were involved in last week's attacks. United Flight 175 was hijacked from Boston and slammed into the south tower of the World Trade Center. United Flight 93 was hijacked from Newark, N.J., and was believed headed for a target in the nation's capital when it crashed in Pennsylvania.